I'm enjoying this much more than 2015 or 2014. Actually, I recently opened a cellared 2014 and this is drinking like that - wicked smooth and tasty! My past experiences with fresh BCBS is that it's too 'hot' and bourbon-y for me but that age tempers it nicely. This one is already there. Not sure what, if any, role pasteurization plays in that.

2014 vintage. Drank from the tap out of a tulip glass. Beer pours pitch black with no head. Aggressive swirling produces a small dark brown head. Aroma smacks of bourbon. Super fudgy with big dried cherry and fig aromas jumping out of the glass. Aroma translates to the palate but with a boozy bourbon punch on the finish. Mouthfeel is very thick and fudgy like drinking slightly watered down chocolate syrup. This beer is the benchmark for barrel aged stouts and I can see why. That benchmark doesn't always mean best and I think that the boozyness holds it back a bit. 93.5 points.

500ml bottle (06OCT16) into snifter left a khaki colored head
- Smells of Charred Oak, Smoky, Vanilla and bourbon
- Tastes very similar to the smell with heavy notes of bourbon and smoke
- Mouth feel is silky smooth and very boozy finish
- Overall, BCS was one of the best beers I have enjoyed in a long time! Being it was the first time I have tried BCS it was well worth the wait (and getting up early on Black Friday)

Hard por left about a finger of dark khaki head that dissipated quickly.

I was worried that this was infected due to the issues from BCBS 2015 and the nose off the bottle was a little sour smelling. however when after pour with some air was getting Vanillia, charred oak, Bourbon was very pronounced.

Was definatly not infected, An almost perfect blend of vanilla. charred oak, toasted coconut, dark chocolate. Bourbon was there but more in the background complimenting the other flavors. Its crazy how a year or 2 turns this beer into almost perfection.

there are beers that do not live up to the hype machine. if you can score this without a hunt and at a decent price point, it will not dissipoint.

L: Had this beer on-tap at Closed for Business, poured into a snifter. Had a black color and a thick consistency. There was a small amount of foamy, tan-colored head that quickly dissipated. Not much lacing to speak of.

S: A big, bold aroma of bourbon, a woody quality, vanilla, and some chocolate.

T: Like the smell, the, the taste is a powerful thing: Lots of chocolate, some malt, a big shot of bourbon, the aforementioned bourbon quality, caramel, vanilla, a light smokiness, and some dark fruit. This is a flavor that takes charge. It's complex, aggressive, and tasty.

F: A decent amount of carbonation with a silky smooth, if somewhat boozy finish. Full-bodied.

O: Bourbon County is one of those storied beers that doesn't disappoint. It's well made, drinkable, and easy to like - assuming you enjoy stouts.

The nose is mostly woody bourbon and alcohol.I also am getting some caramel,and some vanilla notes in there as well.As far as the aroma goes,the bourbon is pretty well hidden.

The palate gives an up front blast of bourbon and oak,followed up by some vanilla and caramel notes.I get very faint hints of dark fruits,and dark roasted malts...But this is a VERY bourbon heavy stout.Nice smokey aftertaste.Little bit of a nutty flavor in there as well.Once the bourbon fades away,there is a distinct sweetness to the aftertaste.

The body is medium / thin,with a warming alcohol finish.

I hate bourbon,so I will try to rate this without bias...This brew has pretty much everything going for it except for the bourbon...Leave the bourbon barrel ageing out....You have yourself a fine imperial stout.And to be honest...I really don't mind the bourbon in this one...A fine Imperial Stout.

First had from 12-oz. bottle, gift from local restaurateur (at 13.80 ABV, this beer may never become available in Mississippi), label stamped bottled on: "29AUG14 13," poured into snifter. All the big flavors one expects, alcohol better-hidden than seems possible, and not surpassed after all these years.

BCBS 2016 is right up there with my favorite all time beers. Poured pure black into a snifter with a quick fizzy head. Smell was a delightful burnt cask with a hint of sweetness. First taste was of bourbon with some vanilla added.Yes the booze does come through but with the name of bourbon what can you expect?!
Upset that I only purchased one but I have no way of aging currently.

2016 Bottling. Black as it gets. No light is getting through this sucker. There is a slight wisp of head in the center of the snifter and a single line of tiny bubbles around the perimeter. The aroma, is in a word, perfect. It's got vanilla, it's got a little coffee, a little cocoa, maybe some tobacco from the oak. It's rich and complex but not overwhelming. The taste is exquisite, as well. The vanilla is upfront, there's some straight bourbon following it, and then a little dark roasted coffee. The body is lighter, slick with a little tingle from the alcohol.

BCBS 2016: Thick, dark, and creamy look. First aroma hit with a sharp booze scent. Lots of flavors from Bourbon, to vanilla. Thick and smoky the brew almost comes off the tongue as sweet chocolate. This is a fresh bottle so I am probably not getting a full on developed flavor and feel. Sharp and boozy to the taste buds but mellows as it goes down. I have an extra couple of bottles I plan to age.

Just bought two bottles Bourbon County Stout at the extortionate price of $13 each. And after sampling one of the bottles, I am quite sure that I can swear off Bourbon County forever. Unlike the rest of humanity, I found it unbearably sweet and syrupy tasting (that's the bourbon barrel kicking in I suppose) - way over the top. Undrinkable, in fact. Did I get a bad batch? There is nothing on the Goose Island web site to indicate that I did. Let's assume that it wasn't a "bad" bottle, in which case the bottom line from my perspective is that it's simply awful.

Going with the flow on this rating. It is a great beer, but it suffers a bit from being too sweet and syrupy (FG of 1.030 is really a bit high - would like it more around 1.020). That said, it is a unique offering that is a heavy-hitter in the BBA department. Great barrel and dark fruit characteristics - chocolate, caramel, toffee, toasted coconut, plums cherries and prunes, roasty char with a hint of tobacco smoke. Utterly decadent. However if they keep increasing the price (major hikes 2 years straight), I might not bother anymore. It's only beer. Nonetheless, it's a classic brew that everyone should try at least once.

Who could possible age this stuff? If I had 12 bottles, they'd be gone in 12 nights. Honestly, beer gets no better than this- it has company, but I cannot see how one could be better crafted. Only different. Buy all you can get your hands on! (Even the "sour" batch of 2015 bests 95% of craft beer, in my opinion).

2016, pours black with very thin - almost nonexistant - bubbles. Smells strongly of bourbon and molasses, taste is sweet and almost mellow, with a liquor burn and kick on the back. Very low carbonation, oily, chewy, thick.

2016 from the bottle. Chilled to about 50º until the thirst became too great. Poured into 12oz JP snifter, remaining 4.9 oz returned to fridge for later.

A: An inkling of head. Literally an iota. One head. Lasted for about 5 seconds until lost to the deep space known to most as BCS. Now I see why it's released on Black Friday. No room for hues here. I could drain a pen in this thing and serve it as a brown ale.

S: I think this might've been aged in Bourbon Barrels with a capital B. Jesus. With some bonfire mixed in, we've got ourselves a good night.

T: Vanilla up front. Chocolate and razed village in the middle. Finishing with more semi-sweet and the unmistakeable Kentucky twang. Feel the burn.

F: The last sip is still slowly making its way down my throat as I type this. I'm hearing things now.

O: Black gold. A+, would wake up at 6 in the freaking morning and drive aimlessly around the city with $100 and a hankering for excellent barrel-aged beers again.

2016 batch on tap. Absolutely delicious! I've been hearing about this stuff for a while and it is truly amazing. Amount of flavor and aroma from Bourbon is unbelievable. Hopefully I'll see it on tap our local bar again next year!

Had a one-year old 2015 on tap at a restaurant in Chicago in a tulip glass. By the time it got to the table there barely any foam to speak off--just a ring of white lace around the edge. Nose was vanilla with bourbon sweetness. Mouthfeel was full and rich, though dissipated quicker than anticipated. Flavor was full-bodied caramel with less noticeable cocoa and coffee notes, almost a little toffee-ness to it. Taste lingered delightfully long.

Appearance: thick black with very little tan head
Smell: Chocolate, Coffee, bourbon, roasted grain.
Taste: a tad too sweet and roasty for me, but still very tasty and a benchmark BA stout
Feel: Somewhat thin while still being too sweet somehow. Perhaps it's the carbonation
Overall: an enjoyable and delicious BA stout nonetheless, but not my favorite.

Like everyone says... this is the grandfather of BBA stouts. I really love this beer. It is fantastic for the price and it is a fantastic beer. The one area I have found though is I wish it had a little bit more character. The barrel is there. The alcohol is there, but beyond that I just wish there was a little more. I love it regardless, but it is still behind KBS to me. It is a fantastic beer, and can't wait to try this years batch! I know its a budweiser company... but this beer I will always come back too! Cheers!

Yeah, I gave it a perfect score, so if you don't like that, stop reading.

This is THE Bourbon Stout. It does define the genre, it is the ruler by which I rate any other Bourbon Stout.

I'm not going down the list of why I have it 5's, just read:

It's as black as cartoon sludge, tastes like heaven, smells like an Elijah Craig truck crashed into an organic vanilla distributors Prius and both cars obliterated the front window of a boutique coffee and chocolate shop, all while Brahms is playing in the background... and it's more of a waltz than a crash. Mouthfeel? Remember when you were a kid, and you'd wait if the ice cream to melt then drink it (still do that?)? That...

Drink this beer... then hug your significant other, tell them you still love them, but you may sell them if it means more Bourbon County.*

*-Don't do this, this is not ok... have one bottle around as much as possible, but only having it once or twice per year is what makes it so special, don't ruin that.